Improvement in cultivators



4 Sheets-Sheet 1.

M. L. UTTER.

Cultivator.

Patented Nov. 27, 187%.

4 Sheets-Sheet 2,

M. L. UTTER.

Cultivator.

Patented Nov. 27, 1877.

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N. FETERs PHOTD-LITHOGRAPN M. L. UTTER. Cultivator.

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Patented Nov. 27, 1877.

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M. L. UTTER.

Cultivator.

Patented Nov. 27, 1877.

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UNITED STATES" PATENT FFIGE.

MORRIS L. UTIER, OF ROCKFORD, ILLINOIS.

IMPROVEMENT IN CULTIVATORS. I

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No.l97,503, dated November27, 1877; application filed' August 14, 1877.

To all whom it may concern;-

Be it known that I, Monnrs L. UTTER, of the city of Rockford, in thecounty of Winnebago and State of Illinois, have invented a new anduseful Improvement in Cultivators, which improvement is fully set forthin the following specification and accompanying drawings, in which-Figure 1 is a plan view of a cultivator embodying my invention. Fig. 2is a side elevation, with the rear wheel omitted to show the remainingparts more clearly. Fig. 3 is arear elevation, and 4 is a frontelevation, in both of which the drivers seat is omitted. Fig. 5 is atransverse horizontal section of the front joint of drag-bars on dottedline 1. Fig. 6 is a transverse section of the shovel-standard bracket ondotted line 2. Fig. 7 is an inside elevation of a portion of thedrag-bar and shield attachment. Fig. 8 is a horizontal section of theadjustable support for the drivers seat on dotted lines. 3, 4, and 5.Figs. 9 and 10 are views of the rosette-faces of the adjustable supportfor the drivers seat. Fig. 11 is a vertical transverse section on dottedline 6 through the shieldsupp ort. Fig. 12 is a plan view of theshield-support, in which the adjustable socket is shown in section ondotted line 7. Fig. 13 is the upper half of the adjustable socket,removed. Fig. 14 shows the swivel-socket of shovel-standard bracket%with eyebolt in place. Fig. 15 is a view 0 the socket'end of theswivel-socket, and Fig. 16 is a face view of the socket-washer.

This invention relates to that class of machines known as sulky orstraddle-row cultivators; and consists in the construction andarrangements of the parts and of the devices employed to produce aneffective machine for the cultivation of crops planted in rows ordrills, which will be herein after more fully described.

In the figures, A represents carrying-wheels fitted to revolve oncrank-formed axle-arms a, secured to the axle-tree B. Two convergingbeams, O, secured toward their rear ends to the axle-tree, are connectedat their forward ends to beam D. These beams are connected rearward oftheir junctional point, and about on a line with the front of thecarrying-wheels, by a transverse bar, E, secured to their under sides,which forms the tongueof the machine, having an opening between thebeams 0, forward of the axle-tree. The beams G extend rearward of theaxle-tree, for a purposehereinafter explained.

Pendent bars I) are connected by brackets b to the outer ends of thetransverse bar E, having their lower ends made in journal form. F aredrag-bars, havingtheir forward ends slotted, and fitted with ajoint-plate, 0, provided with flanges c on their edgesto embrace theopposite sides of the bars, and are held in place by screw-bolts passedthrough the beam and plate. The forward ends of these joint-plates arefitted to receive the studs d, which project from the inner face of thejoint-plates d.

The washers e are fitted to receive the ends I of the studs, whichproject through the plates 0. A screw-bolt, c, in the axis of thisjoint, passes through the washer c and studs d, to receive the screw-nuton the outside of the plate d, which holds the parts in place in suchmanner as to permit the joint-plates c to turn freely on the studs (1.

. The joint-plates d are provided on their outsides with a verticalsocket, e, which receives the journal-formed lower ends of the pendentbars. This joint is clearly shown, in section, in Fig. 5, and is madecapable of use on both sides of the machine, to connect the drag-barsthereto, in such manner that their rear ends will be free to vibratevertically and laterally independent of each other, and to prevent axialor rolling motion in the drag-bars.

Brace-rods f, secured to the lower ends of the pendent bars and to theaxle-arms, inconnection with brace-rods f, connected to the lower endsof the pendent bars and to the cross-bar E, give firmness to the frameand support to the pendent bars to resist the draftstrain. j Y

Cultivator-shovels of the usual form, made from suitable material, arerepresented at G,

and are fixed to round standards G by rivets or screw-bolts.

H represents the bed-plate of a bracket employed to hold theshovel-standards, with the shovels thereto attached in position on thedrag-bars. One of these bed-plates is placed on the outside and rear endof each drag-bar,

and one on the inside of each, in advance of those on the outside, andare held in place thereon by screw-bolts f which pass through the platesand through the drag-bars, which. fix them firmly in place. The lower orpendent ends of these bed-plates are provided with an opening to receivethe swivel-socket g,having its end, which projects through the plate,made square to receive the socket-washer g.

An eyebolt, g, fitted to receive the shovelstandard is passed throughthe swivel-socket and socket-washer, and by means of its screwnut theshovel is held to the socket in such manner that when the shovel swingsback the swivel-socket will turn in the bracket, carrying with it theseveral parts that hold the shovel to the bracket, with out eithertightening or loosening the screw-nut on the eyebolt,

when placed on either the right or left hand sides of the drag-bars.These eyebolts permit the shovels to be set to throw the earth to eitherside, to or from the plants, and to adjust them vertically to controltheir relative working depth.

Slip-arms h, fitted to receive the upper end of the shovel'standards,are provided with a base-plate, slotted as at h, and made adjustableback and forth in the direction of the length of the drag-bar, for thepurpose of changing the pitch of the shovels, so as to incline them moreor less relatively with the drag-bar. These slip-arms are held incontact with bedplates H by a screwb0lt, h, passing through the slot,bed-plate, and drag-bar, which hold the standards in their adjustedposition sufficiently rigid for the purpose of cultivation, and whenthey come in contact with any substance offering greater resistance thanthe parts would bear with safety, the slot h will permit the arm toslide forward, permitting the shovel to swing back to pass or ride overobstructions without breaking; and when the obstruction is passed theshovel can be readjusted. The force required to cause the parts to slipcan be regulated by means of the screwbolt h. These brackets are madereversible, and capable of use on either side of the dragbars.

I are shields, made in proper form, from plate material, and to theirforward portions are riveted supporting-arms i, which curve up ward,outward, and forward to meet the inner face of the drag-bars. Theforward ends of these supporting-arms are secured to the swivel-block13, provided with a stop, '5, projecting from its side. Thisswivel-block z" is fitted to enter the tubular socket J, provided forits reception, fitted with a chamber, j, having a slotted opening, j, onits upper side to admit {)he stop 6 on the swivel-block to the chamer j.

The annular length of the chamber j is such as to limit the oscillatorymovement of the swivel-block in the socket to about half a revolution.These chambered sockets are secured to the under sides of the drag-bars,forward of their centers, by an eyebolt, j, which receives the socket,and is passed up through the drag-bars, and .held in place by asuflicient screw-nut.

From the above it will be seen that the chambered sockets may be turnedin the eyetivation from clods, earth, or other substance thrown by theshovels, and that can be readily adjusted, removed, and applied, ascircumstances may require.

K are supporting-chains or linked rods, connected at their forward endsto the cross-bar E, slightly in rear of the pendent bars, on which theforward ends of the drag-bars are hinged, and in the same lengthwisevertical plane. The rear ends of the supporting-chains are connected toplates is, which are connected to the drag-bars about midway of theirlength, and are made adjustable lengthwise thereon, to control theextreme depth of cultivation.

' From the foregoing, and by reference to the drawings, it will be seenthat the pivotal points on which the drag-bars swing are so nearly in avertical line that their limited lateral movements in cultivating will,for all practical purposes, be substantially in a horizontal plane.

L are segment-ratchets, of the form represented in the drawings, securedto the beams O. A transverse rod, 1, connects the upper ends of theseratchets to combine their strength. Lifting and supporting levers, M arepivoted to the forward legs of the ratchets, and are provided with adetent to engage the teeth therein, and are also provided with a spring,I, on their inner sides, the free ends of which operate against the sideof the ratchets to hold the levers in contact therewith, from which theyare relieved by pressing their handle ends outward. The forward ends ofthese lifting and supporting levers are connected to thesupporting-chains by a link, m. These levers, with theirchain-connections, furnish the means for raising and lowering thedrag-bars and the shovels thereto attached, and, in connection with thedetents and ratchets, serve to adjust and control their working depthand l to hold them suspended for transportation.

The seat-frame is composed of curved bars N, secured at their forwardends to the beams 0, near the axle-tree, on pivot-bolts n.

O is the drivers seat, secured on the rear end of the seat-frame, andmade lengthwise adjustable thereon, to accommodate the operators and tobalance the machine.

1 are rosette-plates, provided with flanges to receive the beams G, andp are correspond in g rosette-plates, from the inner faceof whichproject studs p eccentric to the plate. The p I contiguous faces ofthese rosette-plates are corrugated to match, and are made adjustable tochange the position of the stud p with relation to the plate P. Theseplates are secured to the rear ends and inner faces'of the beams O byscrew-bolts p, which pass through the plates and beams, the inner platesbeing adjustable to raise or lower the inward-projecting studs 0', onwhich the seat-bars aresupported for the purpose of raising and loweringthe seat to accommodate the operator.

R are foot-supports secured to the drag-bars, to receive the feet of theoperator, for the purpose of moving the drag-bars and the shovelsthereto attached laterally to conform to the sinuosities of the rows ofplants, and to pass plants out of line.

S represents a sway-bar composed of two similar halves, consisting ofbars r bent at right angles, forming two legs of about equal lengths,placed so that their crowning portions lap each other, and form threesides of a rectangle, and are held in position relatively byclasping-plates r placed on the upper and under sides of the crowningportion,where the parts lap, and hold them in position laterallyadjustable by screw-clamping bolts passing upward through theclasping-plates and between theoverlapping bars. This sway-bar issuspended in front of the axle-tree on links t, pivoted at their lowerends to the depending legs of the sway-bar, and at their upper ends tostuds 23 projecting from the rear legs of the ratchets inward, to permitthe sway-bar to swing laterally.

The depending ends of the sway-bar are received loosely in guide-socketst fixed to the drag-bars, which hold them in such manner that theirrelative lateral movements shall be in unison and verticallyindependent.

By means of the clasping-plates r and clamping-bolts the depending legsof the swaybar are made adjustable closer to or farther from each other,to increase or lessen the distance between the drag-bars to cultivatecloser to or farther from the plants.

- as described.

' fore set forth.

3.'The combination, with the levers M, located in front of the driversseat, of the supporting-chains or linked rods, connected at theirforwardends to levers M, and also to the frame at a point practically inthe same vertical plane with the forward ends of the dragbars, and attheir rear ends connected to the longitudinally-adjustable plates K,substantially as described.

4:. In a standard-bracket, the combination of the bed-plate H, theslotted slip-arm h, fitted to receive the shovel-standard, screw-bolth", upon which the slip-arm works, swivelsocket g, and eyebolt 9,whereby the shovel is allowed to.turn back to pass obstructions, ashereinbefore set forth.

5. The swivel-block i, in combination with the shield and chamberedsocket, substantially as herein described, to limit the oscillatory.movement of the shield, as hereinbefore' set forth.

6. The chambered socket secured to the drag-bar, and made adjustablethereon by means of the screw-eyebolt, as herein described, incombination with the swivel-block, secured to curved supporting-bartolimit the downward movement of the shield, as hereinbefore set forth.

7. The rosette-plates herein described, secured to the inner face andrearward-projecting ends of .the converging beams, the inner plate madeadjustable to raise or lower the stud projecting eccentrically from itsinner face, for the purpose of raising and lowering the drivers seat, asand for the purpose hereinbefore set forth.

8. The adjustable seat-plates P, in combination with the curved bars N,pivoted at their forward ends to the frame, and the seat 0, madelongitudinally adjustable on the seatbars, and arranged to turn the seatforward, substantially as set forth.

MORRIS L. UTTER.

Witnesses:

A. O. BEHEL, JAMES FERGUSON.

